These are measurements, not forecasts. Where the WRF pages show what the model expects, this page shows what the instruments actually recorded. Station readings are also the yardstick the model gets verified against.
Current conditions
Live station readings
Refreshed hourly on the data server. Times shown in the panel are SAST.
Year-to-date trends
Every station carries the same six records for the current calendar year. Pick a station to switch the whole set.
The mean of Pienaarskamp and Potch South. Wind is vector-averaged rather than averaged as compass degrees, so a northerly and a north-westerly do not average out to something southerly.
Temperature
Daily minimum, mean and maximum.
Rainfall
Daily total with the cumulative year-to-date curve.
Reference evapotranspiration
Penman reference ET, daily and cumulative - the irrigation baseline.
Humidity
Relative humidity through the year.
Wind speed
Daily wind speed.
Solar radiation
Daily incoming shortwave energy.
The network
| Station | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lekwena | Single station | Co-located with the Lekwena C-band radar on the Lekwena Wildlife Estate outside Potchefstroom. |
| Metsi | Single station | NWU-operated station, reported under its own site name. |
| Pienaarskamp | Single station | One of the two stations in and around Potchefstroom. |
| Potch South | Single station | The second of the two stations in and around Potchefstroom. |
| Potchefstroom | Derived average | The mean of Pienaarskamp and Potch South. Wind is vector-averaged rather than averaged as compass degrees, so a northerly and a north-westerly do not average out to something southerly. |
What is measured
| Variable | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | °C | Air temperature at screen height. |
| Dew point | °C | Temperature at which the air would saturate. |
| Relative humidity | % | |
| Wind speed and gust | m/s | With direction; vector-averaged. |
| Rainfall this hour | mm | |
| Rainfall today | mm | Midnight-to-present total. |
| Solar radiation | MJ/m² | Incoming shortwave energy over the hour. |
| Reference ET | mm | Penman reference evapotranspiration. |